Drowning One's Sorrows in Coffee
by Multicolored stamps
Summary: The best actor in the world is someone who doesn't know what's going on. EDITING
1. Two Birds One Stone

**Drowning One's Sorrows in Coffee**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. You have no idea how much those four words hurt me so. D8**

**I've had this idea for some time and I finally got it down on 'paper', per se. And it's taken me a hundred years to actually sit down and edit it. So here you go. A fresher, newer, 2009 version of DOSiC.**

**SasuTen is one of my favorite pairings and I think all of you should write more of it. x3**

**Inspiration: Chocolate by Snow Patrol (song) & AznAnimeGrl **

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"Triple whatever. Something coffee. Make it black." A woman. She looked tired. Her brown hair was put up in two, quite messy, buns. Almost drunken panda –like. It didn't quite help that she actually was suffering from another hangover. It had been her first drink in decades, actually, and she was starting to regret it.

She had started to form dark rings under her eyes, although she'd been suffering from a light bout of insomnia for years. It worried the barista, a tall and lanky blonde.

"Aw Tenten… Don't drown your sorrows in coffee, un! Sake is much better~!" A blonde haired main faced her, behind the counter. He had blue eyes and his bangs covering one side of his face. He said the words lightly and playfully, but it pained him really, to see her like that. He knew a hangover when he saw one. His own room mate, Hidan, used to be an alcoholic.

"Pffft." Tenten gave her friend, Deidara, a small smile. "I don't drink, remember?" She tried to lie. But when you've been friends with someone for _that_ long, it's hard to put something over their eyes.

"Fine," Deidara decided not to pressure, especially not today. "Well, it's on the house," He said with a smile and continued hurriedly before she could decline the offer. "One, because you look really stressed out about shit. And two, because it's your birthday, un!" The blonde gave her a wink before he went back into the kitchen to get Tenten's drink.

Tenten didn't really think anyone had remembered. She was 25 today. 25 years of really having no life. She was a college drop out. Actually she was one of those, 'did not go to college, but graduated high school' drop outs. After graduating high school and being accepted into a local college, she just decided that life wasn't worth it. It wasn't depression or anything cynical, per se, but reality had really come down on her. Going to college and supporting both herself and her younger brother would be a difficult task, if possible.

Taking a job at a large laundry and cleaners business, she work diligently, and tried her best not to be pissed off at her boss and costumers. But she was in for it. The business was fairly big, as it had it's stores set up all over Konoha and Japan. It must've been because of that, that her boss, a snobby lady of 43 years, always wore expensive clothing and bad make-up while her employees worked for a little more than minimum wage.

25 and no life. 25 and no job. She'd gotten fired, as she had predicted to herself, and looking through the newspaper she mumbled, "I just had to say it…" Tenten admired and hated her sharp tongue. In a higher corporate setting, it probably could get her a ways up the social ladder, but in a lower class, all it gives you is someone telling you that you were witty and another telling you that you were a bitch.

Sitting down at a chair in the café, she pulled out her notebook, pen, and newspaper. Her chocolate brown eyes shifted through the 'jobs wanted' ads, circling some local jobs that she would go apply for. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Out of habit, she stacked the papers in a neat pile. She wasn't a neat freak, for one. But she couldn't stand having a mess for no reason. She wasn't a procrastinator.

The café was quite famous for its ability to produce some of the best espressos to ice lattes, while still keeping its recipes (and secret ingredients) local. The café was open to both the promising rich business men that lived in the better parts of town to the lowly ghettos where any sweet or bitter coffee was a luxury. It was the few places that welcomed any and all as either customer or employee.

It gave off a homely smell to Tenten. It was still early. No one had arrived here yet. And it felt just right; the cars going around, outside the window and the soft jazz that played inside the café. Tenten would love to work here. But Tenten was a horrid kitchen hand. She would probably ruin their reputation. Besides, Tenten could think up a million excuses to not work here. An annoying habit that often lowered her already falling self-esteem.

"Stop looking so down, un! It's your birthday. Smile a bit!" Deidara set the drink on the table and saw that other customers were waiting by the counter. He left.

Tenten took the mug and saw that Deidara had put a smiley face with cream in her cup. A quickly done smiley face, but a smile, all the same. She took a sip of the bitter drink and it gave her a more content feeling. The caffeine started it's work, waking her up a little more.

The door opened and a fresh, cold, morning breeze fell throughout the café. Three… no four men walked in. A blonde, a brunette, and two with black hair. All giving off some pheromone of the rich.

'_Stupid rich people…'_ Tenten cursed under her breath. She hated those huge corporations that destroyed all hope for all small businesses. They got what they wanted. They never played fair. Those dirty jerks.

They sat down at a small table, a few tables to the right of Tenten. A strong whiff of 'rich jerk' aura wafted over to her table. It was probably all Tenten's thinking, but suddenly the air in the café thickened. She coughed into the sleeve of her maroon turtle neck. She sighed._ 'Birthdays smrithdays…' _She glanced back at the job ads. Raising and empty cup into her mouth, she frowned.

As if on cue, Deidara appeared at her table. "Want another?"

Tenten smiled. It was nice to have friends that knew her well. She handed him her cup. "I'll leave a big tip." Deidara smiled before taking her cup and once again disappearing behind the counter.

Tenten didn't have that much money in her pocket, but Deidara was too nice of a person to not give one to. Deidara had actually gone to the same high school as her. Although they weren't friends then, Deidara had applied for the same college. Both seemed to have no high hopes of really getting far in life. Friendship bloomed when they had both sat outside the counseling office to talk to a visiting college.

Deidara was open-minded and almost childish at times. He often babbled and swore pleasantly. He was an artist. Flamboyant. He worked with clay. But it was something that wouldn't earn that much money. He leaned toward cooking. However, it was still a dream that he could have his own gallery one day and have his pieces go around the world, going from art museum to art museum. He wanted people as far as America to know his name.

Tenten, at that time, was still unsure of her future. She didn't know what she wanted to major in or whatever. But they both agreed on life and how unfair and how worthless it really was. Having gone through their share of life's horrors and enjoying their share of pity parties. It seemed well enough that they became friends.

And both seemed happy to leave it at that. It was an unspoken rule, but neither wanted to mix romance to break their friendship. Tenten was too busy and rarely thought of love and relationship. Deidara had a thing for his co-worker, and he thanked Kami that he was bisexual.

Deidara brought back her coffee. "It's bad to drink so much early in the morning." He said, implying back to their previous joke of coffee and alcohol.

"Ah. But I'm drowning my sorrows, see?" The brown haired heroine took a gulp of the burning hot coffee. Swallowed and coughed into the crook her arm. Her eyes watered.

"Careful, un. It's hot." Deidara cracked a smile. Tenten was a good friend. Of the few friends he had. In fact, he wished that they could have become friends sooner in life, than when they met in front of that office. While he was often too unwary and optimistic, Tenten did her best to be realistic. They complimented each other in ways.

Deidara heard Sasori call for him behind the counter.

Sasori was another good friend of his. Or, perhaps a _friend with benefits_ in a way. He was hot-tempered and hated to wait. '_Which really made him hot in bed...'_ Deidara sighed as he ended his thought, deciding between chatting and getting back to work. "Well, Sasori-kun is calling me back. I better go before he starts throwing things, un…" Deidara patted Tenten on the shoulder and Tenten smiled, packing her things up as well.

Tenten waved a good bye, slowly sipping her coffee. She frowned suddenly. There was a disturbance in the force.

Tenten looked up to see the men stand up and get ready to leave. In their nice suits and business like minds, they were headed out the door. Suddenly one stopped at the counter and talked to Deidara and handed him something.

"Here." The voice was more monotone then monotone. And much more sullen and cold than whatever the idea of being sullen and cold was in her dictionary previous to the man speaking. The man's voice seemed to echo around the room.

Tenten blinked for a few seconds, before tucking the papers in her olive green messenger back and slinging it over her shoulder. The men left and Tenten went up to the counter to put her cup back.

"Hey, Tenten-chan, those men left this for you." Deidara handed her a slim piece of paper, that would fit in the palm of her hand. A business card. Tenten looked at the front of it.

**Uchiha Corp.**

Tenten was going to question something when Deidara said, "And they gave me a huge tip for making sure you got it." Tenten's frown deepened as she turned the card over. On the back, in a fancy scrawl was _'Call me'._

Was he joking? Tenten looked up confused only to see Deidara had read it as well and was just as blank. Tenten gave a light laugh. "Well, I hope he's not _looking for a good time_."

Deidara chuckled at Tenten's lewdness. He was going to comment back when Sasori called back again. He sighed and waved good-bye as Tenten headed out the door.

Outside was fairly cold. After all, it was November now.

But Tenten was now curious. Why would a big head man like them give her a business card? She got into a sprint that went into a run. It wasn't hard to find their trail; you just had to follow the thick smell of cologne. She obviously dressed fairly baggy today and didn't look as appealing as a street prostitute. And if he did want a one night stand of some sort, he could've been more… subtle. Her eyes searched the street and then she saw them. Or him, per se. He was getting into a nice, sleek black Lexus.

"Stop! Wait! Sir!" Tenten yelled across the street and she saw him look up. Ignoring the traffic, she ran across the street. Tenten wasn't normally that daring but curiosity and caffeine was never quite a good mix. Car horns honked and she swore as the man simply just looked at her and… was that smirk on his face?

Tenten finally got to the other side of the street, amazed that she hadn't be bowled over or something. She placed her hand on the car and sighed, taking deep breaths. Her endurance just wasn't like it used to be. A cold hand picked her own hand off the car and Tenten look up, almost hoping to see blank eyes, like those of dead people, as that was how this person's hand had implied her to see, but instead she saw piercing onyx ones. It was so ironic and she had to stifle laughter. The man looked at her strangely, and then gave something like a glare.

"Um… Sorry, but I only work local." Tenten tried as she might to look back at this man with the same force he looked at her. Which she could not do. Nonetheless, she had no interest with having his card anyhow.

Suddenly the blonde haired man came up from behind this raven-haired demon. This blonde hair made him look a bit foreign and he had strange whisker-like tattoos on the each side of his face. He looked a fox. The neat black suit didn't match him at all. Only the loose, but still docile-colored tie seemed so be the only sign of this… person's true emotions.

"Eh? But this job is local… sort of. And we really want you to take it." He gave a cheeky smile. Tenten didn't know if his words were serious or if they underlined some sort of lewd innuendo.

"Shut up, dobe." He glanced at his... friend? Tenten was really sure. They didn't seem… no, this cold man didn't seem to act that friendly.

"Do you want the job or not." It was statement, really. Not a question.

"I work local, sorry," She repeated. She had her hand outstretched with the card in it.

"Hn." His hand quickly put the card back into his breast pocket.

"Hey!" The blonde took the card back out, seemingly having no idea of personal space. The other man looked irked. He looked with bright blue eyes back at Tenten. "I just said this job was local!

"And you also said 'sort of'." Tenten replied back, digging around her back pocket for her vibrating cell phone.

"Sort of mean it's not a lie," The blonde tried to argue. Tenten looked at the phone screen and read the text. She sighed. She always had the worst timing; in fact, it was almost like the story of her life.

"Take me the airport right now and I'll do the job. Whatever it is." Tenten said quickly, tucking the phone into her back pocket again.

"Excuse me?" Sasuke wanted to make sure he heard that right. This jobless girl was saying she would take the job if he drove her to the airport. Hell. He asked her if she wanted a job. She was definitely in no spot to bargain, let it be with such a small favor.

"You have a speedy car." Tenten said. "You" pointing to the taller of the two men "Will drive me there." She finished pointing to her self and then gesturing to the beyond (the airport). Tenten assumed that the sleek car belonged to the same man that had offered her the business card.

"Please, this is really urgent and if it wasn't for this situation, then I wouldn't bother asking," Tenten tried to plead. "Really."

Silence.

"Please?" She pouted."Eh? Of course Sasuke can do that!" the blonde smiled. His white teeth gleaming. He patted Sasuke on the back. He easily slid into the driver's side of the car and rolled the window down.

"Well, aren't you going to get in?" He said to Tenten. The other man, Sasuke, seemed incredibly annoyed, in disbelief, and finally just seemed to give up. He opened the back door for Tenten but didn't bother to shut it. Instead, he simply went around the front of the car and got in on the front passenger seat.

"Thank you so much!" Tenten genuinely looked pleased.

Sasuke wondered how he didn't have any say in the matter. He glanced at his friend and/or enemy, Naruto Uzumaki. Only he would dare to do something like this, and he had a meeting within the hour as well. Sasuke sighed, because he knew that Naruto was doing him a favor.

The task at hand needed someone like Tenten Ama. The second choice wasn't much better… (there was no second choice, actually, was Sasuke refused to believe that).

Naruto put the car into drive and in a matter of moments they were already on the main highway. Tenten was a bit excited, but even more worried that she'd be late. The airport was quite a ways away, and she didn't want to keep _him_ waiting. Tenten's mouth became a thin line of worry.

She realized her situation right then. _He_ was coming back and if it wasn't for these… people in there nice fancy suits, she would've been jobless _and _late. Look at that. She gets to go to the airport and get a job. Two birds with one stone.

'_Sort of. I bet one of the birds was an endangered species and I get sued by the world or something.'_ Tenten thought to herself. '_That would suck.' _The worst part was that it actually sort of made sense that something like that would happen.

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**Once again, Reviews please! Comments, random things, flames, I don't care! I love them all! C:**

**Ah ha! Finally, I edited it! I feel pretty happy about it. And maybe in several years I can look back on this first chapter and edit again because it's not 'very good'. Anyhow. **

**I really hope you've enjoyed it! The next couple chapters will be edited as well and then, **_**maybe**_** I'll start writing more chapters. I've got the actual story down; just been too lazy to type, sorry.**

**I got the inspiration and motivation for this story from ****Pass the Coffee, Hold the Tea****!!! It's by AznAnimeGrl; check out her profile! She has a lot of amazing stuff on there!!**


	2. No Coffee Means Trouble

**Disclaimer: Today, I realized I don't and never will, own Naruto. FML**

**So, chapter 2 is now edited! The story's changing a little bit. I realized that a lot of the pieces didn't fit, so I'm trying to do that as well as not give up the plot. Don't worry, there's still lots SasuTen to go around for everyone! **

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The car had leather (…or something soft) interior. It wasn't a limo, but still very, very classy. It was defined, sleek, black, and the most important, professional. Tenten felt like she was in a car belonging to the Secret Service or whatnot.

"Can we go faster?" Tenten's voice was that of an excited four year old. She could hardly keep this once-in-a –lifetime experience to go to waste!

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. No words really. Did he really just hire this person? Actually, did Naruto? Nonetheless… _'The employee is always the one in danger. If the company fails, he cuts down on the workers.' _His thoughts stopped as he stared out the window, the car speeding on the highway leaving anything, but blurry pictures fleeing the scene. He realized this, for once, was not a normal job procedure. It would be a case in which he, as the employer, couldn't simply cut _her _off if something went bad. Sasuke sighed and decided to review his contract forms once he was back in the comfort of his own office.

-

Tenten quieted down. She hadn't ridden in such a nice car in the long time. The more she thought about it, this seemed like her first time. Staring out the tinted window, she sighed and it fogged up a part of the glass. She drew a smiley face with her finger.

She saw the driver glance at her. He was laughing on the inside. Or something like that. There was mirth in his eyes. Naruto… that was his name.

"Do not do that to the window." The cold voice from the front seat caught her off guard.

"Eh?" Tenten was confused for a moment. Was he telling her not to draw on the window? _'That's weird. I bet he did it as a kid…' _"Ah. Sorry." Tenten lowered her head, trying not to make eye contact through the rear view mirror. _'I guess I tell Zenji not to do that either… but still…'_

"But didn't you do that as a kid?" Tenten couldn't help, but ask. It was an odd question, but if this 'Sasuke' was a cold as he was now, he probably didn't get out much as a kid, right?

"No." Was the distant and cold reply. It was completely serious.

Tenten was shocked. Almost. It was very odd for her to hear of someone never ever drawing on windows. By reaction she commented, "You should try it sometime."

Naruto laughed loudly from the front seat and got a 'hrumph' from Sasuke.

She mentally thwacked herself for that stupid comment. Ah, the ride to the airport seemed like forever. If there was such a thing as forever.

-

"Onee-Chan!!!" A little boy, possible seven, maybe eight, ran up to Tenten. He was also brown haired and brown eyed. Tenten hugged him and twirled around. She gushed at the sight of the child._ 'Her facial expression changed immensely from when she was in the car to seeing this… kid.' _Sasuke thought. _'If this is her child, then it would either complicate or complete…_'

"Waaah, Ji-kun, you've grown so much! I barely recognize you!" There was much gesturing and hugging from Tenten.

"I have? I've only grown two inches this year!" The younger boy spoke lukewarmly. His hands gesturing faster than the words itself. He'd wished to grow at least twelve inches. He didn't quite know how tall that was, but twelve was a bigger number than two.

"Eh?! That's a lot! You should be happy! Your older sister isn't going to get much taller, so you should try to grow as tall as you can!"

'_Ah, so this was her brother… This woman should'be reached the age of legal guardianship some time ago, is he a foster child? In the research folders, it said nothing about a blood brother…_' Sasuke thought quickly, mentally going over the status of this Ama Tenten. His facial expression didn't change, but his shoulders tensed up slightly. Naruto padded him on a the back lightly.

"Tch, relax, teme."

The conversation between brother and sister continued at a rapid pace. Ironically, it complimented them.

"I know! I asked my friends to help me stretch myself out, every day since I found out I was coming to you!" The boy said excitedly.

"Stretch?! You shouldn't do that! Let your body grow naturally." Tenten put on a face a horror.

"But because of that, I think I got that extra inch."

"So it works? Maybe I should try."

"No, I think you're kind of too old."

"Really? I'm sure it would work. Don't you know the things that can happen in this modern world?"

"Modern? I dunno. It doesn't seem all that new to me…"

"Well, it is! It's-" Tenten was interrupted by the clearing of a throat.

"Onee-chan… who's the scary man? He's not related to us, right? Is he going to a funeral?" Ji-kun asked. His brown eyes glanced nervously at Sasuke. "He's not going to eat us, is he?" He whispered. Sasuke couldn't tell if he was sarcastic or dead serious.

Tenten leaned down a bit and whispered back, "I don't exactly know who he is… But he has never made smiley faces on windows."

Ji-kun, whose actual name was Zenji, gave a little gasp. This new found fact made the 'scary man' look even more prehistoric. "I bet he's not really smart that much." Zenji commented, just loud enough for the words to reach Sasuke's ears. It sounded something like bewilderment, really. But his logic was simply. If you've never drawn on windows, obviously you weren't quite bright to have figured out it was crazy fun.

Tenten couldn't help, but giggle. Sasuke had to admit the duo, if this was their real personality, it would be easier. They wouldn't have to act then. Nonetheless, he wanted to get away. Children made him uneasy, or in the least, he didn't want his pride destroyed just yet.

"Can you get a taxi of your own?" Sasuke, once again, made the question sound more of a comment or order.

Tenten sighed. She could probably afford the taxi fare to go home, but this was still very rude, to take someone to the airport and not take them back.

"Of course." Tenten said, with an air of mocking pompousness. She smirked. Taking Zenji's hand in her right, she led him up the escalators to the luggage carriers.

Sasuke had swiftly turned a left without another word, texting or noting something into his cell phone. He wasn't quite sure the mess he'd gotten himself into. Tenten scurried away without sparing a glance at the newest person to enter her life. He wasn't important and in fact, whatever _job_ she had to do, she wanted to do it quick.

-

"Home sweet home, Ji-kun!" The apartment was a mess, but the cliché saying made it seem almost homely. "You can set your stuff on the ground, anywhere, it doesn't matter…" Tenten absent mindedly continued to search through the refrigerator for something to easily heat up. She starving and knowing Zenji, he probably wouldn't have touched any of the airplane food.

"Onee-chan, are you always so messy?" Ji-kun commented, seeing his older sister fumbling with the scattering of things.

"Ah. They say that if one is messy, one finds new things every day. I like enlightenment."

"What does enlightenment mean?"

"I dunno, so that's why I'm messy. To find enlightenment." Tenten quickly babbled, not even giving another thought to what was coming out of her mouth.

"Well, what if enlightenment is a bad thing?" Zenji asked as he propped himself up on a tall stool by the counter.

"Well, dinner's ready." Tenten gave a smile that said that the conversation on enlightenment was over. Zenji couldn't believe how much his sister hadn't changed. After all those years. He was slightly glad about though; he would have hated to come home to a completely different place.

"I'm glad." He simply said, glad to be back to place called home.

"Me too." Tenten replied, thinking he was implying the food. She hastily grabbed some plastic utensils and popped some food in the microwave.

-

The dinner was measly: some Chinese take-out left overs and a cup of ramen each. It wasn't healthy in the least, but they were full and happy.

"Ah, so what are we going to do tomorrow?" Zenji asked, out of the blue.

"I'm going to work-" Tenten stopped herself and repeated the sentence. "I'm going to _work_." The rest of the sentence continued, _'And I will not be home to help Zenji with anything!'_

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Tenten felt incredibly guilty. What was she going to do? She could ask the landlady to watch him while she was gone, but she didn't know for how long. The address on the card was all she had, as for location.

Maybe she could call up a friend… Ah. No, they would be working too. Maybe he could come with her? No. Not yet, at least. Ah… maybe. She didn't like his Uchiha guy. Who knows what he might do to little children. Eat them? The thought frightened her. Scare them and make a tea out of their tears?

'_Ahhh!'_

Tenten decided on the best choice of action. "Zenji, you don't mind taking the bus, right?"

"No, but why…?" Tenten just smiled at her little brother's question. Zenji felt a creeping fear, just like he used to get when his older sister had that odd look in her eyes.

-

The next morning was hell. Getting ready and no breakfast. It would be a while until Tenten got used to having to take care of another body in the household.

She looked at the clock and peered at it closely. She was an hour early. She cursed to herself, hating how paranoid she was in the morning. Walking out the door, she took hold of Zenji's hand.

Zenji, who still did not seem woken up from his slumber, looked like a zombie. He wore a casual shirt and jeans. Nothing special, although his hair seemed a bit fussed up. Tenten tried to sooth the brown mess down, to look a bit more acceptable. It didn't quite work.

Tenten, however, had actually tried to put her hair down. Over the years of the few jobs she had tried to get, putting her hair down earned her more smiles and compliments. Tenten figured it was because she looked more vulnerable and womanly. And supposedly, according to Deidara, it was the 'in' fashion of the season.

Either way, the brown, wavy locks sat on her shoulders. She put on a dark pair of jeans, as she could not find any other sort of pants and would not wear any skirt. She then wore a cream colored turtle-neck and finished it with a chocolate brown coat. The coat was long and almost came down to her knees.

Tenten had decided that bus fare to get all the way to the other side of town was costly. Instead, she took the metro. '_Which wasn't really a train… well_…' Tenten really didn't see the difference. One was just under the ground while the other was above. And she carried a monthly pass for one so it would be a waste not to use it as often.

People filled in from each side of her and Tenten was afraid that she would lose hold of Zenji's fragile and small fingers. They seemed so small to her. So easily able to slip away. She nonchalantly let her grip become harder as the blurring windows slowed down. She glanced at a watch on someone else's arm. She had no watch of her own. So, it seemed easy enough to glance over someone's shoulder. It really _was_ too crowded.

She was still a bit early. Tenten felt proud of herself. She was never a morning bird really. And Zenji sighed deeply, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. _'Neither is he…'_ Odd how the nature vs. nurture works.

-

The building was massive. Shiny… yes, but massive. Tenten felt a bit uncomfortable walking into the building. It was shiny blackness. _'I bet you could lean the building so that it hits the sun and blinds all the other big buildings here.'_ A worthy tactic, she supposed.

Entering the building, it was cold and very dull. Tenten didn't like dull and it seemed so serious here. She should've expected it from seeing the outside of it. She didn't enjoy the tension. Inside, there was a lady waiting at the front desk. All alone. Tenten went up to her, because she had no other sense of where to go.

"Um… I was told to come here by… Mr. Uchiha Sasuke…?" Tenten ended her statement with a question.

The lady was actually a young woman. She had strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. Tenten supposed that this woman's nose was a bit too high up in the air for her own good.

She leaned over the desk and looked down a Zenji. She chewed some sort of gum obnoxiously.

"Oh, you're _'her'_," She commented. She sighed and glared at Tenten. Tenten smiled meekly back, not knowing why this lady was so hostile.

"So, how'd you do it?" The desk sign said **Ino Yamanaka**. Ino chewed gum, smacking her lips. It was getting annoying.

"I… Well…" Tenten was confused. Was she asking how she got the job? "He… He just asked me…" Tenten muttered.

"Ah. Seriously, you think I'm going to go for that crap?" Ino smirked. Tenten was confused.

"I suppose not?" Tenten replied. "Um. Well, he just asked me, out of the blue, and it was really convenient, because of Zen-" Tenten was interrupted.

"Ah, you're here." Sasuke called from across the room. He was surrounded by the others that had been with him the other day. "And you brought along Ji-kun, how nice." He added a bit of sugary sweetness that sounded immensely out of character for someone like him. _'What's he getting at?'_

Ino, on the other hand, had dropped her feet from the desk and swallowed her gum, trying to look as professional as possible.

Saskue came incredibly close to Tenten. Something that she didn't feel very comfortable with. He embraced her. Not a warm happy boss embrace. But… more of an… uh… intimate embrace? Tenten was shocked; she didn't really know what to say. She actually was starting to regret taking a job for this… this… _'Psyco!' _

Zenji had fallen asleep on his feet, leaning against Tenten.

"Play along and you get paid." Sasuke hissed in her ear. For only a brief second and he let go. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek and then squatted to Zenji's height. Zenji woke with a start, and almost took a step back, seeing the 'scary man' in front of him.

He gave him a lollipop and embraced him too, Tenten didn't see it, but she assumed he whispered a bargain in his ear too.

He stood up and explained. "Isn't she beautiful?" The once serious scary man, sounded lovesick. Zenji looked up at Tenten, confused. Tenten simply nodded subtly and flicked her eyes at Sasuke, telling Zenji that it was going to be okay and to play along.

"Wah, so teme _really_ is in _love_…" The blonde whispered to the other brunette. Drenched in sarcasm. Naruto knew something that Tenten didn't.

"Good job, Sherlock." He replied. The brunette flicked the forehead of the blonde.

Sasuke eyed her, almost threatening her with a massive amount of mental pain if she didn't play along.

Tenten's mind went blank. Then it pieced some of the puzzle together. Uchiha is pretending to be in love her. She didn't know why, but he was pretending. That was her job, to pretend and she would get money. Fair enough. It was probably the easiest job she'd done yet.

Tenten smiled a warm smiled and brought Zenji close to her. "I missed you so much… and I… wanted to see you…" Tenten let a blush come up to her cheeks. Zenji was enthusiastically licked his lollipop, paying no attention whatsoever. All he had to do was not make a fuss, right?

"I'm sorry, but I'll leave you guys here." Sasuke looked at them, distantly. While to Ino he looked in 'love', he was going over last details. He didn't want one thing on that contract to make the tables turn against him. _'For once, an idea by the dobe… is actually a plausible one…'_

"Yeah, whatever." The blonde said, before turning and walking out. The others went without say. Smirks on their faces.

"Yamanaka, cancel all the meetings I have today, I have important matter to take care of."

"Eh? But wasn't that Haruno's job-" Ino suddenly zapped out of her own momentary fantasy, shocked and confused.

"She's fired. You've just been promoted." Sasuke ended. He took Tenten's hand and Tenten took Zenji's. This Uchiha had explaining to do. A colossal amount of explaining. Ino simply looked like she was going to faint from her seat. It wasn't until everyone had left the ground level floor that Ino squealed excitedly and schemed to find the best ways to break the news to Sakura. _'Oh, I can't wait to see that bitch's face when she finds out…!'_

"She's fired. You've just been promoted." Sasuke ended. He took Tenten's hand and Tenten took Zenji's. This Uchiha had explaining to do. A colossal amount of explaining. Ino simply looked like she was going to faint from her seat. It wasn't until everyone had left the ground level floor that Ino squealed excitedly and schemed to find the best ways to break the news to Sakura. _'Oh, I can't wait to see that bitch's face when she finds out…!'_

The ride up on the elevator was awkward. Sasuke immediately broke off the hand-holding when the door closed and actually seemed to stay as far away from her as possible. He flipped out his phone and seemed to be checking notes or emails. 'All business and no play… makes you dead.' Tenten ended the old saying with her own twist.

Whoever this crazy guy was, she was starting to feeling afraid. Perhaps she had just gotten herself into a mess that she couldn't handle.

'_Ah. I hate it when I kill endangered species.'_ Tenten thought. _'I would die for a cup of coffee right about now…'_ The sweet smell of her favorite alcohol replacement filled her senses. Tenten let her guard drop a bit, but only a little bit.

* * *

**I realized that I might end up making this much more fast paced than I wanted it to be, but I hope you like it anyway! :]**

**So, here is the NEW second installment of DOSiC! New reviews or random comments are respected and loved. **

'**Zenji' is an OC and not part of the actual series. His names means 'little by little' which is one of the meanings of 'Tenten'. 'Onee-san' means older sister (I think). And just fyi, I don't like Sakura or Ino, so expect some bashing… " **

**Sorry if it took so long to get up!**


	3. So It's A Date?

**The third installment of DOSiC is finally here! [/yawn] Ugh. I'm so tired nowadays. I just want to skip school and sleep for 48 hours straight. Pwa ha ha, as if that'd be happening anytime soon. " **

**I wanted to just give a big THANK YOU for all the reviews, new readers, and rereading old readers!!! You guys are awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Naruto. D8**

* * *

"Here."

Tenten's usual reaction to her favorite food and/or drink would have been to pounce on it, but seeing it given to her by those pale hands, Tenten would have killed herself before she took a sip. It killed her as see looked at the cup in her hands. That dark, hot liquid that gave off a heavenly aroma… She set it as politely and quietly as she could onto the table.

The entire office room wasn't an office exactly. It looked too fancy, with a nice black leather sofa and a glass table. There was two books cases, which were black, and a fancy black, glass desk. It seemed like too much black, but against the white walls, it looked incredibly… neat. The only thing that wasn't black or white was the Uchiha's tie, herself, Zenji, and the light cream carpet.

It gave her a sense of paranoia, as if she would stain the room just for staying in it too long. The vase, the rug, chair, and clock, was a good silver color. On the right wall, directly across Tenten, was a portrait or sorts. Just of Sasuke. _'Of course. Pffft, who else would he have a picture of anyway? Egoistic bastard…_'

Sasuke took a seat down at his desk and neatly folded his hands on top of a flat and crisp-looking manila folder. Tenten sat up a little straighter and Zenji squirmed uncomfortably in his seat next to her. For a leather sofa, it was hard and put them ill at ease. It must've been forever since any had ever sat in those.

There was a little bit of an awkward silence in which Tenten tried to look anywhere _but_ at her soon-to-be employer.

Sasuke saw that she was waiting for an answer or at least, for him to talk first. "I'll make it quick." He glanced at her for a moment.

"You better…" She mumbled under her breath. She hated the place. She looked up to see the onyx eyes and she looked down again.

"You are hired to act the position of my fiancé."

Tenten's head went up in a flash. "Excuse _me_?" It wasn't one of those, 'I didn't hear you' sort of excuse me's, it was one of those 'I just heard you say something absolutely insane' excuse me's.

"Do I have to repeat myself? Or do I need to give you a definition of 'fiancé'." Sasuke looked at her with his sleepy eye syndrome. Tenten hated the sleepy eye syndrome, when one's eyelids came half closed. It made he look haughty and snobbish. "And I thought I'd chosen someone competent." He muttered purposely loud enough for Tenten to hear. Or not, Tenten wasn't quite sure.

"You bas-" Tenten stopped herself in time to notice that Zenji was there. Who looked up at her and then at Sasuke. Now awake he asked her in a low whisper, "What does a 'fee aunt say' mean? Is it an animal? Does he own a zoo?"

Tenten sighed and looked at him intently. Just as quietly she said back, "I'm not quite sure either so let's see what this man has to say, okay? If he owns a zoo, I'll get you a pet giraffe, so be quiet." She gave a warm smile and looked back at Sasuke.

She cleared for throat for a dramatic measure and took on a more professional attitude. "This isn't an offer people simply hand, Mr. Uchiha. And while I'm sure it's for a good reason, I'm afraid that I would have to decli-"

"Hey teme, Sasuke! I forgot my résumé folder. It might've gotten mixed in with your stuff. It'd be bad if I was at the interview and didn't even have the person's résumé! Haha! That'd be-" Naruto opened the door and walked casually. He talked until his eyes fell on Tenten. She looked at him first in surprised but then turned it into a sickly sweet smile.

"Zenji-kun, can you wait outside a bit?" Tenten whispered at Zenji.

Sasuke sighed deeply and rifled through the manila folder and pulled out a couple papers that were paper-clipped together.

Tenten said a little more loudly as Sasuke handed Naruto the papers, "Um excuse me, Mr…?" She looked intently at Naruto. The blonde, not knowing what he was going to get into, filled in the black. "Naruto Uzumaki." He said with a smile. Tenten smiled even brights.

"Well then. Zenji, Naru-kun is gonna take care of you while you're outside. I need to talk about some grown-up things with Mr. Uchiha here and being with Naru-kun is going to be fun!" She looked expectantly at Naruto. "Right, Mr. Uzumaki?" Another smile.

Naruto sweatdropped. He wasn't quite sure what to say. "Oh, uh- sure!" He said, looking at Zenji.

Zenji hopped off the couch and walked over to Naruto. "You have really bright hair. Did it burn that way?" The child asked in all seriousness.

'_Eh? Burned? What the hell?' _Naruto wasn't quite sure and it wasn't until he was out the door with _someone else's_ kid that he realized he had to babysit.

-

Tenten looked back at Sasuke again. "I thought I was being hired for a proper job, not someone's whore. And definitely not some fucking corporate one shot's bitch. I quit, bastard." She glared, her arms crossed. Her vocabulary got dirty when Zenji was out of earshot. Her eyes got cold and her lips made a thin line on her face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The way she looked didn't match the way she talked. In fact, the clothing she wore yesterday seemed more like it. _'Clothing can't change attitude…' _He supposed.

"I hold no power over you if you decide to decline, but I suggest you hear the rest of the benefits." Sasuke gave off what Tenten decided was his 'haughty' look. It was one of those, sleepy-eye, half-smirk, 'I am wearing very expensive cologne' faces.

'_Benefits?' _"I'm not interested." Tenten said bluntly. No way was she going to fall for charm and cheap tricks.

Sasuke was expecting that. He knew that his charm wouldn't work on her. Possibly, but the chances were slim. She took people for people. Unlike the female workers under him and around him, Tenten seemed undisturbed. Which irked him a bit. It was a slight blow to the Uchiha ego. He let it go.

"The jobs is simple really. All you have to do is act and be seen with me in public. Inside and out of sight from cameras, you can do as you please… And of course, Zenji will be supplied with everything. School, toys, his own room… Anything he wants," Sasuke added the Zenji bit. The boy was child. He would want toys. And toys, money could buy.

Tenten's face was still in a contortion of slight anger. Sadness sparked her eyes a bit, but it disappeared. _'Zenji. That douche. I didn't think he's stoop that low…' _She then smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You big shots think you can buy anything, can't you? You think that with money, you can rule the world. But do you think you could get Zenji what he really wants? Do you think publicity will persuade me? Money? That's sweet, but no," Tenten's own voice started to quiver at the end of her statement. She started to stand. It hurt to lie and deny a sweet, sweet life. The life she wanted. A normal life where money wasn't an issue.

Sasuke smirked. _Hook, line, and…_ "But that's reality. Money makes the world go round. If you go out now, I won't offer again. Think of Zenji. Think of yourself. I know that you're in a rather… difficult financial situation. All I'm asking you is to play a part. And in the end, I will leave you, you will have the cash to help yourself and Zenji and everyone's happy."

"Tch. You think it's that easy? Why don't you just hire a prostitute off the street, they'd be more than happy." Tenten wanted reasoning. Why was she chosen? Why did God decide to make her life miserable?

"I'm a bachelor. I'm the richest bachelor in Konoha. And there is no heiress to this. The media has been on me for ages. Watching my every move, any significant action," He spoke with a rather careless nonchalance. As if this hadn't been a big deal. "It's been annoying. With you, they'll back off. When you perceive to leave me, I'll be heartbroken. And no one would expect for me to find an heiress for a couple years. It'll be the excuse. I have no intention of getting an heiress. That's why I picked you. Tenten Ama, right? It took a while to find someone that fit the _situation._"

Tenten looked at him in a slight shock. He'd singled her out. He knew the moment he offered her his card that she couldn't refuse. And she hated him just enough that she swore in that moment, she'd never fall in love with a shithead like him.

"I…" Tenten started. If it was just her, she would have left in a heartbeat. But there was Zenji. Zenji was the Uchiha's leverage in the game. She was empathetic. She loved her brother.

The Uchiha smirked. He'd won… _and sinker_.

Tenten lowered her eyes and stood up. She had lost."When are the details going to be filled in?" She inquired.

"Tomorrow. I'll have movers come by your house starting at 8 am."

Tenten looked up to question, but she held back. He was jerk. She shouldn't waste her breath on him. She started to walk away, leaving a very satisfied Uchiha. Tenten stopped. She wanted him to know the clear reasoning for her doing this.

"I'm doing this because I love_ him and do only the best for him._ Money can never give me that… Not that you would know." Tenten looked at him. Her eyes were sad, not challenging; it was filled with pity, not anger. '_You shitty bastard,'_ those eyes seem to say, '_You poor asshole that can never understand that.' _

-

The statement lingered in his mind. Sasuke dismissed it. How could she, of all people, understand what he'd been through? She shouldn't be the one trying to understand his situation. _She doesn't know anything._ She doesn't know how naïve her thoughts were. Think love can save her? Save her and her brother from reality?

_What a bunch of bull._

He went out of his office and followed the brown haired girl to the elevator.

"What are you doing here?" She snapped.

"Your job starts today." He answered. She glared and they got in the elevator.

-

"I'll miss you…" Tenten started, blushing. She gripped Zenji's hand tighter, however. Naruto had run out seconds before, cursing on how he was late to work now. The worst was that he actually liked the little kid so he couldn't blame Zenji.

"I'll be home soon. Don't worry." Sasuke let his words soften and melt.

A kiss on her forehead, a pat on the head for Zenji and then departing… all in front of a witness: Ino Yamanaka. She made sure that they didn't notice her, but she saw. _'Oh… This'll be big news.'_

-

Tenten was tired. It was around late afternoon. The conversation with Sasuke hadn't lasted long, but they planned for a dinner at a restaurant. Just her, not Zenji. Tenten didn't like that. And that ass had left it up to her to tell Zenji about it. It would be pretty difficult, although he was capable of understanding a lot of things… It's never easy to tell a scheme like that.

"Eh, so, Zenji-kun, you know what's happening, right?" Zenji nodded in an absent minded way. He was more focused on the man in front of him that wore a ripped up shirt and vibrantly dyed hair. He wondered if his onii-chan would let him do that and then mentally shook his head vigorously. She would probably tear all his hair out for doing that. His sister could be so crazy sometimes. Zenji sighed happily.

Tenten decided not to talk about it. Not until they got home. She looked at her brother. He seemed so happy. The bus ride seemed too long. Longer than it should've been for her. She checked the time to make sure it was all in her head. _'Maybe a bit of coffee wouldn't hurt…'_

Getting off the train, she took Zenji's hand, and walked to her favorite café.

-

"The usual, 'kay Dei-san?" Tenten sounded tired. It had been a long day. Or at least, it was a waste of one.

"Yup! What about the kid, un?" Deidara called from the back.

"Um… Hot cocoa. Make it really sweet." She said back and took a seat. She didn't care if Zenji hadn't had a proper meal today except for sugar.

"Sure!" The blonde's head popped out for a few seconds and smiled before going back to make their drinks.

Tenten looked at Zenji from across the table. He had managed to lick the lollipop into a very small chunk of sugar. He'd loved sugar, candy, anything sweet, for as long as she could remember and Tenten wasn't quite sure why. But then again, she never knew his parents either. Or hers for that matter.

This wouldn't have made any sense, in all truth. She didn't know anything about her parents, because she had no memory of them… but she was twenty-one. Zenji was eight. If they _did_ share the same parents, she should have known them until she was thirteen. Or through some wild story, they first abandoned her and then Zenji. Neither story was true. It wasn't a shocker to anyone, but that could be because Tenten was the only one that knew, besides some of the workers at the adoption/foster home center that they came from. They looked alike enough and Zenji went right on thinking that Tenten was his blood sister.

'_If you go by all that scientific stuff, bumblebees can't fly. But it doesn't know that, so it keeps on flying anyway.' _**(1)**

She glanced at her blonde friend approaching with the drinks. '_It keeps on flying… right.' _He can't ever know. That would be utmost disaster. She'd taking so much care to make sure Zenji felt at home. She never ever would want him to go through the time of loneliness she had gone through; when she thought there wasn't anyone in the world for her.

Then he came along, the brown haired, brown-eyed boy. It seemed generic, really, but there he was. And despite different pasts, Tenten would care for him with all her heart. Even something like a bastard with a _stick up his ass _who thought he ruled the world wouldn't ever stop that. Tenten's face creased into a frown as she thought of the Uchiha with a burning hate.

"Need aspirin or pain-reliever? You look like something hurts, un." Deidara looked more confused than concerned.

Tenten looked up. "Oh, nothing… I just really hate someone right now." She smiled a sickly sweet smile.

"Ten-chan, its times like these I'm glad you're my friend and not an enemy. I feel bad for whoever you're cursing," Deidara smirked and left.

Zenji took a sip of his drink and smiled. "It's good!" Tenten smiled back, seeing how he finally put down that stupid lollipop that the Uchiha gave him.

"Everything is good here." She let out a content sigh, drinking her coffee, drowning her sorrows.

-

Sasuke slipped through the file he had on Tenten and Zenji: Legal siblings from different orphanages, Tenten took a job at seventeen and left Zenji in the care of orphanage, she paid a monthly fee to make sure that no one would adopt Zenji while she was gone. She then was fired at age nineteen, took odd jobs, hired by laundry/cleaners store, fired again, currently jobless, but managed to get enough money to get Zenji on the plane to Konoha.

This boy seemed like luggage. Luggage that Tenten had to constantly give maintenance for. If it were Sasuke, he would have left him a long time ago. _Just like how he had somehow become a liability to his own brother, and how his own brother killed everything around him._ He'd given up family, bond, honor to get himself rid of people that slowed him down or blocked his path.

'_And money can never give me that.'_ He remembered Tenten's last words. He disagreed. In this world, money _can _buy happiness. There isn't a single thing that money and power can't get for him.

His ear suddenly itched and he sneezed. "She hates me," Sasuke mused. **(2)**

-

The apartment was still a mess. A bit more messier, since Zenji's things had been thrown into the chaos as well. Tenten had once sworn she was going to organize and clean her home. Today was obviously not that day.

Tenten shuffled inside and slipped off her street shoes and put on a pair of slippers. **(3)** It was slightly chilly so her hands turned the small portable heater on. It slowly filled the house with warmth.

"Zenji, Tenten-nii has a meeting tonight with someone, and it's private, so the Landlady is going to watch you while I'm gone okay?"

Zenji looked up, "Okay."

Tenten felt guilty. Although Zenji sounded indifferent, she knew that he felt slightly upset. It was only his second day here, and already, she was leaving him at home. She made herself yet another promise: to take Zenji out for a day to wherever he wanted to go.

The land lady was very nice. Her name was Shinne; she was a woman in her late fifties, but very organized and always willing to lend a hand. She knew of Tenten's financial problems and was very lenient on when rent came in, but she scolded her tenants for keeping a messy house. That was what Tenten worried about most. She doubted that she could find another apartment for so cheap and with a nice landlord somewhere else if she got kicked out. It be doubly harder with Zenji with her.

'_Hopefully, those details would be taken care of tonight.'_ She didn't want to leave her apartment, but Sasuke had said something about movers coming. He was like a dictator, ordering everything to his favor and to his favor only. Somehow, the idea of 'free country' had disappeared when she met him.

Tenten glanced at her wristwatch and ran her hand through her hair. She brushed it a few times before slipping on a dress.

"Do you like him?" Zenji asked from the doorway, watching his sister get dressed.

Tenten turned around, confused. "Like who?"

"The person you're meeting,"

Tenten stumbled over words. "E-eh?! Of course! I-I mean, of course not! Th-this is just business, Zenji…"

"But Nii-san only wears dresses when she likes someone," Tenten laughed and turned around, a faint blush on her cheeks. When she had been in her second year of highschool, she'd had a crush on a boy in her homeroom. She couldn't even remember his name now, but she'd worn a dress on White Day **(4)**, hoping he'd give her something since she'd left chocolates (anonymously) for him on Valentine's Day. Simply put, it didn't go well. Nonetheless, it surprised Tenten that Zenji still remembered her frivolousness.

"Nii-san only wears dresses to impress people," Tenten stated the sad truth. Tonight, she was acting again.

-

Dinner was tedious and her face was starting to hurt. Smiling does that to you face muscles, you know. She didn't know what other facial expression she should be making.

The restaurant was very fancy in her mind. They had foreign classical music that played softly and each table was set with clean silver utensils and a dark red table cloth. Tenten thought to herself, _'So that if there's a homicide, the blood doesn't stain the table cloth…'_ Morbid humor in morbid times, as they say.

Each of the waiter and waitresses didn't seem to have a hair out of place. Neatly dressed in black and white uniforms, they greeted everyone with the same smile, took orders, and went on their way. For such an expensive-looking place, there were a fair amount of people. Tenten hated their very guts, for wearing rich furs and silks when small families were making do with bowls of ramen.

The menus were typed in a swirly cursive and the Japanese was hard to read. Much of the menu was in English (which Tenten was not at all fluent in). Tenten took the cheapest thing, some sort of Italian noodle or whatnot. It tasted so different. Nothing like good ol' fashion cheap dinners at all. Not only that, the food _looked_ horrid. She saw all the different times of skinny breadsticks and sauces. She took a bite and overwhelming taste of olive-oil made her taste buds die. She simply picked at her food after that, after all, no one else in the restaurant seemed to be eating much anyway.

"Is it not to your taste?" Sasuke smiled pleasantly. He'd eaten about half of his steak. He'd done it rare, like he usually liked it, but today, he just didn't feel it. He set his fork and knife down to look at Teten.

"Ah no, it's wonderful, thank you." Tenten smiled back, just as politely.

Tenten felt so out of place. She'd worn her good dress (and only dress she owned) which was a deep, dark blue teacup dress with minimalistic additions. She'd worn a long black coat over that and black flats (because heaven knows what would happen she she wore heels). Tenten had left her hair down and hadn't put on any make-up at all (since she owned a bit of cover-up and foundation, and little else).

The other women in the restaurant had floor-length dresses or very extravagant outfits with (either real or faux, she couldn't tell) fur and rather excessive jewelry. She wondered how the Uchiha wasn't gagging at the smell of perfume and their dinner mixing together.

She'd returned her train of thought to her current situation. It was awkward, just smiling and not even talking or eating. Tenten simply looked at her food and then back up at the Uchiha, who seemed to be analyzing something behind his cold, onyx eyes, rather than look like a lovesick fool.

It was like one of those childhood games where you would smile and looked someone straight in the eye, and the first one laughing lost. Tenten let a smile giggle come out at the thought.

"Is something funny?" The raven-haired man inquired.

"Oh, just a pleasant memory." Tenten replied with a smile. If this was a game, she had lost already.

* * *

**Notes:**

**(1) idk where the quote came from, but I liked it. I just wanted to say it's not mine.**

**(2) You know how when you talk bad about someone (in Korea) it makes your ears itch and in (Japan?) it makes you sneeze. So it's sort of a joke when I have his ears itch. Lawl. Asian humor makes no sense. Sorry.**

**(3) Many Asian families usually have 'outside' shoes and 'inside the house only' shoes. Idk why, but my family does it to. Must be an Asian thing, rite guiz?**

**(4) White Day is when men give things to women. V-Day is when women give chocolates to men. V-day comes first in the year and then the men give something back. Got it? Sorry if you already know this stuff, I just want to clarify, just in case! C:**

**Did you guys read the last sentence and groan, "I lost the game"? See how I cleverly put that there. I feel so evil now. Don't hate, 'kay? xDD**

**Pffft, it's taking me so long to put these up again. Jeez. I hope I finish soon so I can actually start updating for real. **


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